There are 4 species recorded in Tanzania: Taphozous hildegardeae, Taphozous mauritianus, Taphozous nudiventris and Taphozous perforatus. Look for the pocket of skin just under the wrist and four lower incisors to distinguish this genus from Coleura.

There is 1 species recorded from Tanzania: Coleura afra. The tail is more upright than the tail of Taphozous, and the nose extends far forward over the mouth. Coleura has a total of 6 lower incisors...Taphozous has 4.